Goodbye Bella
by princessjob
Summary: The Volturi find out Bella's still human and give her no mercy. How will Edward survive without her? What will the Volturi do with the broken Edward? Set after Eclipse.
1. Beginning

**Hi, everybody! This story, as you know, is called "Goodbye Bella". I really wanted to write something different. **

**And yes, Bella really does die in this story. Not yet, though. It's sad, but I think it's good. This is my second fanfic, so hopefully you'll like it!**

Dear E-Journal,

Charlie exploded. We told him about our engagement and he blew up. Right now, I'm in my room (I was sent here by Charlie) and Edward, after climbing through my window a couple minutes ago, has been pacing back and forth across the small space. He's really upset by everything Charlie said. I am, too, but I think Edward was secretly hoping Charlie would be pleased. Impossible.

Edward has every right to be upset. Even if he isn't so much upset as distraught. Charlie was terrible to him. Charlie said he thinks Edward threatened me to accept Edward's proposal. He said Edward just wants me to watch me get hurt all over again when he leaves. Edward tried to tell Charlie that he wasn't going to leave again, that he couldn't leave again, but Charlie cut him off. He said that Edward was a good-for-nothing that deserved prison time. He even went to get his handcuffs before he realized that he had no legal reason to arrest Edward though I'm sure he thought long and hard about it.

Bella's POV

"Edward? Are you okay?" The way he's acting is really starting to frighten me. He's usually so calm and collected. I'm afraid he's reconsidering…everything. "Edward, it's alright. We can just…elope. Or we can get married without him. We're old enough to get married without parental consent."

"Bella. Maybe we should just…" He trails off and looks at me closely. Suddenly, I see the floor rushing away from me to be replaced by Edward's hard lap. We're sitting on my rocking chair.

He sighs. "Maybe we should just…" Again he can't finish and lays his head on top of mine. "I don't know. You should have heard what he was thinking. It was worse than what he saying. Not by much though."

I can't stand to see Edward this upset.

But there's not anything I can do. I guess I'll just have to wait here and see what Edward wants to do. I _want_ to get married to him. Not because it's something I really want to do, I still shudder at the thought, but because Edward wants to. And when we do, I can be changed. We can move off somewhere, and live happily ever after. Or, we should.

"I'm okay." He must have noticed how I was looking at him, watching his every movement.

"Why don't we go out and do something?" My enthusiasm is so fake he actually surrenders a low chuckle. "We both need something to keep our minds off of today's…occurrences. Come on – let's go see a movie or something!"

In response, he turns my head toward him and gives me a slow kiss. Once I pull away for breath, he tucks my head under his chin and says, "I'd love to. But what about Charlie? I don't think he'll be thrilled about the two of us going and doing anything right now."

I feel the teenage anger rise up in me again and practically spit, "Who cares about what he thinks? I'm of legal age. And we're engaged! We should be able to go out on a date without anyone protesting!"

He laughs and stokes my face, willing me to calm down so Charlie doesn't hear and come to investigate. As always, the effect is instantaneous. I calm down immediately.

"I'll meet you in my truck in a half hour." I give him a quick kiss goodbye before he ducks out the window and speeds down the tree. I stare after his nearly invisible form as it speeds into the woods. He must be going out to hunt while I get ready.

**I hope you like it now! See, it's not all depressing. It's just a different kind of story than some of the others. I hope you'll keep reading!**


	2. Talking With Charlie

Chap. 1 – "I'll meet you in my truck in a half hour." I give him a quick kiss goodbye before he ducks out the window and speeds down the tree.

BPOV

I step into the shower, get out, blow dry my hair, and get dressed. I head downstairs to tell Charlie I'm going out for a while. Oddly enough, I don't find him in front of the television watching whatever game is on now. I look in the kitchen, but he's not there either. I go upstairs to see if he's in his room.

He must be. His door is shut.

"Cha- Dad? Are you in there?"

"What do you want, Bella?" He's sounding a little stuffy, like he's been crying, with some leftover anger in his voice. "I'm busy."

"Umm…I'm just heading out for a little while. I'll be back before dinner."

The door swings open. He got to the door faster than Edward could have. It bangs against the wall and I see some old pictures of him and Mom on the bed before the door rebounds and slams against the doorframe.

"Y-you are not going _anywhere_, Missy!" He's shaking he's so mad. "Especially not with _him_. You are going to go back to your room. Back to your mother! And _take that stupid ring off!_" With his words, he swerves around me and stomps down the stairs. I can hear him dead bolting the front door.

_How dare he!_ I think. _He can't choose what I do!_

I run down the stairs after him to find him shoving some chips back in the pantry.

"Dad, you can't do this. You can't control me forever. I'm old enough to get engaged and especially old enough to go on a _date_!" I watch him for any signs of him blowing up again. I don't want him to hurt himself.

Surprisingly enough, he doesn't look angry when he turns toward me. He looks…sad. Almost hurt. He looks like he wants to curl up in the corner and cry.

"Bella. You're too young. How do you know it will work? Your mother and I got married when we were older than you and look at what happened. She had to get out. I had to stay. How do you know something like that won't happen to you and…Edward? How do you know?" It's heartbreaking to see him this upset. This vulnerable.

"I…we don't I guess. We do know, however, that we are completely and totally in love. There isn't anything that could break us up again. Last time…it was a big mistake. It won't, it can't, happen again. I swear."

He sighs. "Bella, I can't stand to see you get hurt again. You don't know what it was like seeing you so…distraught. You were a ghost. No mind, just a body."

"Dad, that won't happen again." I'm starting to get panicky. Parents are for being strong when you're weak. Not for breaking down when things aren't perfect.

"Bells, just promise me one thing. Don't get married for a while. I don't want you to find out you two aren't meant to be after it's too late." He tries to lighten his tone and says, "And make sure you tell me what the date is. I don't want to miss walking you down the isle. I'm sure it will be beautiful with the money those Cullen's have." He becomes somber again. "Go out with him. Make sure this is the right choice – for both of you."

I can't say anything, so I just nod and walk out of the house.


	3. Goodbye, My Love

Chap. 2 – "Go out with him. Make sure this is the right choice – for both of you." I can't say anything, so I just nod and walk out of the house.

BPOV

I'm flying! I'm on Edward's back, and we're heading for our meadow. I told him about what my dad was saying, and he saw how upset I was, so he's taking me to our meadow to cheer me up.

We get to the clearing and lay down; I'm getting more and more relaxed as I take in the beautiful sun, which still seems to shine whenever we are here, hear the birds call softly to one another, feel the soft grass, and smell the pure scent of trees after a light rain.

After a few minutes of thoughtful silence, we begin to chat to clear our heads. "So, where did you say everyone was?" I ask. The rest of the Cullen's are on some sort of trip. "And why didn't you go?"

"They're in Maine. Carlisle has a business meeting there. He was told that he could bring his family with him. None of the others have ever been to Maine, so they decided to go with him. As for the second question…" He trails away and looks pointedly at me.

I feel the heat rise up in my cheeks. I hate it when Edward can't do things because I don't like it when he leaves me, even for a little while.

He laughs and continues. "I _mean_, I couldn't bear to be away from you for two whole weeks. Not to mention the fact that I've been there before."

To keep the topic off me, I ask, "Really? When?"

"Remember when I told you about my adolescent rebellion? When I ran away from Carlisle soon after he changed me? I went to Maine for a while then. It seemed like a place I could live fairly well without being noticed."

"Hmm. Interesting."

Edward's pocket begins to shake violently. His hand disappears from mine, and I sit up to see him looking at the caller ID.

"Speak of the devil," he murmurs. "Hello, Alice. We were just talking about you." He sends a smirk in my direction then becomes serious. "What? No, that's impossible. They can't … But why? … Alright. Are you … the next flight? Okay. … Okay. Hurry." He shuts his phone, grabs me around my waist, and hurriedly helps me onto his back.

"What is it, Edward? What's wrong?" _What could Alice have possibly seen in Maine that is making Edward panic here in Forks?_

"The Vulturi. They're coming here. To my house. Alice doesn't know why, but she says they look mad. I have to get you home."

I imagine the angelic face of Jane and the chalky pallor of Aro and the others. "Are all of them-"

"No, Aro, Caius, and Marcus are staying home. Not that that will help us any in the long run." With that, he speeds up the tree and into my bedroom without skipping a beat. "Bella, love, I hate to leave you here alone, but I can't take you with me to go to Jane and the others. They don't know I haven't changed you yet. I have to go now. Stay here. Don't worry. You'll be safe as long as the Vulturi don't think anything is wrong. I'm just going to tell them you're with Carlisle and the rest of them. Alright?"

I nod my head, but I'm numb. It's not me I'm worried about. It's Edward. He's going to talk with the Vulturi. And they look mad. And he's alone. Now I'm even worried about the rest of the Cullen's. What if the Vulturi decide to pay them a visit to find me?

"Edward, I love you," I call out to him before he makes it to the window.

"I love you, too, my sweet. I'll see you soon." He blows me a kiss and departs.

**He leaves. So sad. Who knew this would be the last time they ever spea- Oops. I probably shouldn't say anymore! **

**Would anyone care to tell me what you think? R&R please! Please, please, please, please, please! It'll get the next chapter posted sooner!**


	4. Dead

**I hope you all like everything I've written!**

Chap. 3 – "I love you, too, my sweet. I'll see you soon." He blows me a kiss and departs.

Edward's POV

I race home and see Felix, Demetri, and a couple Vulturi guards gliding past the river.

"Hello, gentlemen. To what do we owe this honor?" Best to be polite to them even if all I want to do is bolt past these monsters and get back to Bella. My mind reels when I think of all the trouble she could get in being home alone.

"Well, Edward," Felix spits my name out like it's poison. "We heard some news from a couple of old friends." This is what he's saying out loud. In his head, however, he is screaming, _We've got you now you unorthodox little…must stay civil. Agh! Well, now we get have the greatest revenge of all time. Poor little Bella, gone. _

"What do you mean?" I respond to his thoughts. "Bella's not gone. She's in Maine with Carlisle and the rest of them." Let's see how my little lie is received.

_Yeah, right._

_The girl is probably nothing but a corpse by now. _

"Silly, naïve, little Edward. Bella is at home. Well, her body is. Her blood isn't though. Not anymore!" Felix looks gleeful from being the one to break the news to me. His face drops when I don't react. I'm not very focused right now. I can't control everyone's thoughts, so they all come crashing at me. I can't make sense of anything.

"No she's not." My brain refuses to believe what Felix is trying to get it to. "She is at home, I'll admit that, but she isn't dead. How can she be? You're all right…" I look around frantically. I finish, "here." I suck in a deep breath and close my eyes to find her "voice". "Where's Jane?"

Felix's face lights up again at my words. "Where is she? You said Bella's at home? Oh, it looks like she's going to have some company!"

I tense up, Felix does as well. He thinks I'm going to fight him. Instead of charging right at Felix, I swerve around him and through the forest toward Bella's house.

_It's not true, it's not true, he's lying, it's not true._ I just have to keep telling myself that so I don't go crazy before I even arrive on her street. _He's just trying to scare me. She's home, safe. Safe as always._

But as I rush to her house, I can't hear anything inside except Jane breaking one of Bella's mom's old vases next to Bella, who she placed by the stairs, and spilling some water over her unbreathing figure. I can't hear Bella's heartbeat.

Instead of speeding up like I should be doing, I slow down. The rest of the Vulturi pass me and take their places around Jane.

I walk in slowly, listening for even the faintest sound from Bella's unmoving form. I see her sprawled out, drained of all color. I race to her side and place my ear to her chest. Her body is cold. Too cold. She's been dead a while.

I stare at her face, my eyes wide. I can feel the bewilderment pour out of me. The room starts to move, bringing everything Bella out sharp and clear. Pictures of her growing up placed above the stairs; she never got Charlie to take them down. The stair we shared our second kiss on. The couch we watched Romeo and Juliet on that fateful birthday of hers. Everything pops out at me like bricks, each one knocking me further and further out of my usual state of rationality.

At a movement across the room, I try to focus on a certain person's face. Jane's. She smirking at me. Then she starts to look uneasy.

"Edward." My name still brings out a fresh batch of sarcasm; I notice even in my current condition. "Edward. It was for the best. You were supposed to change her. It was dangerous for everyone to keep her alive." After a pause, she continues. "Oh, get up, you rag. She's gone. Dead." She motions to Felix and Demetri. "Grab him. Aro said he wants Edward to come back with us." She makes a sour face, turns, and walks out the door.

Shouldn't something be happening? Shouldn't I be snapping out of it and facing them off for revenge? Shouldn't I be weeping over my dead love? Romeo did, so shouldn't I? That's right, I can't cry. What _can_ I do? There has to be something. I should burst out of Felix and Demetri's grasp and race toward my Bella. But my will is too weak to even slightly resist the arms wrapping around me and carrying me to their car.

**And yes, I'm sorry. Bella really is dead; she's not turning into a vampire. I'm sorry! But read my other story, Twilight Alive. Bella doesn't die in that one!**

**So, what do you think? Good? Bad? You don't care enough about it to bother? Let me know! **


	5. Alice

**Okay, last chapter I said that no one really died in it at the beginning. Sorry about that! Bella really did die. I've replaced the last chapter by now though. I was getting it mixed up with a future chapter in my other story, "Twilight Alive" where, as I've said before, Bella doesn't die. Sorry for the mix-up! **

**And I'm also sorry that I haven't updated in a while! I've just been so busy with everything going on, and I had some writer's block. **

**I hope you like this chapter!**

Chap. 4 – Her body is cold. Too cold. She's been dead a while. Shouldn't something be happening? Shouldn't I be snapping out of it and facing them off for revenge? But my will is too weak to even slightly resist the arms wrapping around me and carrying me to their car.

Jasper's POV

"Alice. Alice, what's wrong? Alice!"

The strangest feeling is radiating from my wife. A sort of fear mixed with disbelief. I've been trying to snap her out of it for quite some time now.

"Alice!" This times she hears me and her head whips in my direction. I would be able to tell what she was feeling, even if I didn't know already, just from looking in her eyes. She's paralyzed with fear. For a loved one it feels like. This is no old friend. A loved one? What could happen to any of us that would be so bad she can't even speak to me yet? Wait, she said that the Vulturi were going to "pay a visit" to Edward…and Bella. What happened?

Feeling now is not the time to beat around the bush, I ask Alice some of the usual questions after a vision when she doesn't know how to explain to us what's going on.

I ask her generally what happened when the rest of my family walks in; they must have heard me and have come to find out what's wrong.

"B-Bella. I-It's Bella. And Edward. Bella and Edward. Edward and Bella." Her feelings are getting stronger as she's accepting what happened in her vision. She gets even more frantic, so I fill the room with a wave of calmness.

It works for long enough for Alice to spit out, "Bella's dead, and Edward's been taken by the Vulturi," before everyone goes into panic mode. I can't even _try _to do anything about their feelings now.

_Wait, Bella's dead? Edward…the Vulturi? It just doesn't make sense. _I bet the rest of the room is thinking along the same lines as I am.

The only person who hasn't lost almost complete control is Rose. Seeing everyone else's state, she sighs and takes over the questioning.

"How did…Bella…die?" she asks with a slight feeling of victory gently pulsing from her body.

"Jane. Jane killed her. At her house. Charlie was gone." Alice is still in complete shock. I may not have reached out to Bella very much, but it was for her own safety. I never wanted her to die.

"And why did Jane kill her?" Rose doesn't have as much practice with this sort of thing as I do, but, even being only half here, I can tell she's doing well. "Was it on accident?"

Instead of answering right away, Alice just shakes her head no. She finds her voice and says, "On purpose. Because Bella isn't, wasn't, one of us." With her words, Alice realizes that nothing will get done about what she saw if she doesn't snap out of her daze.

She looks at me pointedly, but it takes me a minute to realize that she wants me to fill the room with a bit of calmness so we can all listen and think rationally. But because I'm not feeling too rational myself, so it takes me a minute to draw the feeling from Alice. Rose is now feeling a little guilty, probably from being glad Bella died, so I can't use her feelings to spread throughout the room.

With a more reasonable air, Alice restarts her explanation.

"Remember how I said the Vulturi were going to Forks? Well, they did. Jane didn't go to our house with the rest of them; she went to Bella's house. She killed her and then made it seem like she just fell down the stairs for Charlie. Edward came to her house when one of the guards let on what Jane was doing. Aro wanted Edward to go to Vulterra with them, and Edward was in such a state that he was just dragged off by the guards.

"He's in Italy."

**Review please, review please, review please!**


	6. Feelings

Rosalie's POV

Oh, no. Bella can't be dead.

Of course, I'm thinking about Edward. He's not the greatest to be around when he's not with Bella.

Who am I kidding?

Okay, maybe I've never loved Bella like I love Alice or Jasper. But…I never wanted her to die.

The first time I thought Bella was dead, I felt a little bad, but overall, I was happy. I thought that life could go back to normal for our family. I thought Edward would get over Bella, and we could go back to the way things were before that intruder came into our lives.

But that little fantasy was over before she even "died".

I guess I was just lying to myself when I told myself that once Bella died, even if it took a really long time, Edward would come home. I knew all along that he wouldn't. I just didn't think it would be that hard for him to get over her.

The first time, I called him and told him that she was dead. It was really nice hearing his old, impatient self again (I know that sounds odd, but I had gone way too long without it), but when I told him what Alice saw, he just stopped talking. He didn't say anything. That was worse than not hearing from him at all. That silence.

But now, Bella really is dead.

At first, the news was sort of surreal. It didn't really register. I was even kind of…happy. The old feeling of when Bella would be somewhere and Edward would be here with us, happy, resurfaced.

But then I remembered what Edward was like when we had to leave Bella. And then how he reacted when I told him Bella died.

I felt really bad until Alice made Jasper calm everyone down.

Now I just feel really bad. Actually, I feel awful.

I've been feeling worse and worse ever since it happened.

I mean even Edward was so out of it that he let Jane take him to Vulterra. That's something Edward would never do. He let Jane take him away.

Edward was originally meant to be my husband. Carlisle's goal was to have me be to Edward what Esme is to him. Once I was changed, I figured his plan out. I actually thought it was a good idea. I _knew_ that Edward would never be like my sleazy ex-fiancé.

I knew Edward would respect me; he would give me the life I had always dreamed of. So, I went and murdered Royce and his friends so I could come home and be Edward's happy little wife. Well, as happy as I could be.

I came home and realized something. Just because I didn't get the life I wanted before didn't mean that I had to force myself into a second rate existence. I didn't have to settle with just anything, anyone. And, of course, Edward didn't know I was planning on being his wife.

So, I waited. I waited for my perfect life to come back. And it did. With Emmett. He understands me so well; he makes me so happy.

He's also the only one who doesn't think I'm a conceited airhead with a great body. And I don't need to be Edward to know people think that. But I don't care. If it's a boy, I can just charm them. If it's a girl, then, well, I can just wear a short little skirt in front of them the next day. Emmett likes it when the girls get nervous, too.

Well, now that I've thought this through day, I'm going to leave the thinking to Alice for the rest of our flight to Vulterra. I don't want to get myself all depressed.

**I hope you like this chapter! I wanted Rose to get her say in things. It's not everyday that so-called-shallow little Rosalie gets to talk, now is it? Please review – it means a lot to me! **

**Oh, and also please go see the new poll I put up on my profile! Thank you!**


	7. Joining the Vulturi

Aro's POV

Oh…poor Edward.

If he wasn't so determined to stick to his ways, so much like my dear friend Carlisle, he could possibly pass for my own offspring. He's so…powerful.

He really would make a nice addition to our little family here. As would his lovely sister Alice, of course. Oh, but neither would ever dream of joining a bunch of monsters such as ourselves. Such a shame, such a shame.

Well. I told my dearest little Jane to bring Edward back to me. He will need consoling.

And now, without Bella holding him back, perhaps he will decide to become a member of our noble household after all. One never can know. A pity Bella had to go for us to get our wish.

But he was fairly warned. We even gave him somewhat of a second chance to change her: when Jane noticed she was still human at that silly little battle against the newborns.

Oh, excelent, here he comes.

"Jane," I greet her warmly. It's always a pleasure for me to see her. "How is he, dear?"

Her face, which had been beaming at my welcome, dropped slightly at my mention of Edward. The flight must have been dreadful.

"Fine, I guess. He isn't doing a whole lot." She looks down and frowns a little. "I guess I just expected a little more response from him."

I have to laugh at that. How funny it is when poor Jane doesn't get quite the clash she expects! I am a bit surprised by that fact however. It is not like Edward to let his Bella go without a struggle. I have heard everything he has ever thought about that girl; believe me, he didn't consider anything lightly with her. Almost everything was do or die. Unfortunate for such a young boy. Just over a hundred. How much he has to learn. Starting with benefiting from humans, not socializing with them.

"Oh, I'm sure he isn't that bad. Bring him in!"

I can hear the soft shuffling of feet followed by an awfully vacant-looking body.

For a second, I almost feel guilty. Edward isn't like this. Not the Edward I know at least. Not the Edward whose thoughts I listened to when he wanted me to kill him to be with Bella.

But now I realize it was the right thing. As sweet as she seemed, Bella wouldn't have been able to keep a secret as big as ours for much longer. Not to mention the fact that Edward shouldn't have been associating with a mortal with such intensity.

"Now, Edward. Don't be like that. It had to be done." I wait for a response, but Edward doesn't even bat an eye. "Come, son. I'd like to see what's going on in that head of yours."

He doesn't move for a moment, sighs, then steps toward me.

This should be most interesting!

We touch, and I enter the mind of Edward Cullen. Then, I'm swallowed up by nothingness.

Nothingness…

Nothing…

Noth…

I pull my hand away as if it had been burned. Never in my many, many years as a contact reader had I ever experienced something quite like what I got from Edward. The boy is like a black hole. A deep, dark, extremely large black hole.

Of course, I did hear a little bit. I don't pay attention to what I've heard before, but I did find out what had happened from the last time he left us. Then, him finding out about Bella. That's about when the nothingness kicked in. So unfortunate. A young man such as himself shouldn't be so wrapped up in a girl. Not even as a vampire where changes such as these are fairly permanent.

Now, that just won't do. We can't have such a depressed vampire among us. He might try something drastic again. I feel now, more than ever, that we need to help him.

What better way than to join us - the Vulturi. Masters of the immortal world. Keepers of peace throughout the land. Meals delivered straight to our doors. What is there in this offer to turn down?

"Edward." I wait for him to tip his empty eyes toward me before I continue. "Edward, I'd like for you to join us. It's time for you to put your magnificent powers to good use. Help us. Help us maintain order in our world. You can be happy again. With us. What do you say, my boy? Yes, I presume?"

His eyes stare off for a second then focus on me again. He simply states, "I won't eat humans."

**What do you think of Aro's POV? Do you think I did it well? Let me know! Thank you for reading! **


	8. Getting Edward

Okay, I always appreciate reviews

**Okay, I **_**always**_** appreciate reviews. Even if they're flames. But if you are going to flame me, please try to tell me what was wrong. **

**I did, however, get one useful thing out of a flame I got; I have been spelling Volturi wrong. Sorry, everybody! I was trying to be so careful not to spell Vulterra (wait that's wrong too) wrong, and ended up spelling Volturi wrong! Anyway, all of that's fixed now! **

**I'd love it if you'd tell me if you notice something misused or misspelled. It really helps make my writing better for everyone who reads it. Okay, enough of the long author's note! Here's the next chapter instead! **

APOV

I can't stop thinking about what's happening to Edward. Obviously. Even Jasper's expert calming isn't doing much. He's just as worried about our brother as I am.

The Volturi have taken him.

He has joined their family. It was a very light vision; Edward didn't have much focus in making it. There must not be much happening in Volterra right now. I haven't seen anything after his acceptance.

Good, we're off the plane. Jasper and I are doing this one alone. Everyone, except Esme of course, thought we would be the best two to mentally bring Edward back before physically bringing him home with us.



We get to his room right as Edward completes his who-knows-what-number straight hour staring out of his window.

The others of the Volturi are out solving a little problem in Africa. If Edward was in any better state, they would have taken him as well.

Good timing.



While dragging him down the never-ending passageways to see Aro, Edward only said eight words. The words that made my body practically rip apart in grief for both Bella and my heart-broken brother.

"Her last words were, 'I love you, Edward.'"

If Jasper wasn't here…



"Oh, for Caius's sake. _Let him go_. He's just a burden. Let him sulk somewhere besides _my old room_." If he would still be affected by it, Jane would torture Edward to death at this very moment. His body is too empty, his mind too blank, for him to feel the pain anymore. And she's tried many times in the past hour.

We're arguing with Aro. Jasper, Jane, and I are trying to get Aro to let Edward come home with us. Aro is trying to convince all of us that Edward will snap out of his grief and be a wonderful guard.

Everyone is ignoring Edward. He doesn't have anything to say. He's just sitting on a stool in the corner of the room staring off into the distance. He's looking almost thoughtful. But I know better.

"Well, if he really wants to…" Aro knows that Edward doesn't have anything to add; he thinks this will be the key to keeping Edward here. Everyone looks expectantly at Edward, some of us hoping he'll pop up and demand to be let free, others hoping he's so occupied by his daydream that he doesn't notice.

Getting not even of a flicker of a response, I rack my brain for another reason for Edward to come home with Jasper and me. Aro is about to open his mouth when Edward finally moves.

"I'd like to go home…if that's alright with you."

Aro's face dropped, defeated. He looks around at Jane, who wants her room back, his bodyguards, who don't want to be replaced by Downy McDowner, and the other interested vampires scattered throughout the room.

"Alright, my son. You may leave. I sincerely hope you feel better. But it had to be done." He turns to Jasper and me. "Send my best to Carlisle, if you please. It would be wonderful to see him again. Goodbye, my dears."

We got him!

**I have a new poll on my profile if anyone wants to take it. It is what type of Twilight story do you like best with answers like Bella and Edward's normal lives, human Bella and human Edward, and Bella and Edward meet randomly (a different randomly than the books) and fall in love. Things like that! So, I'd be happy if you could take it! **

**Thanks to everyone for reading, and especially those who are reviewing! **


	9. Losing

Okay, I've decided to stop this story once I finish chapter 10

**I'm so sorry that I haven't been updating! But I've been in Japan and Louisiana and have just been really busy since summer let out (I know, you're supposed to get less busy in the summer – not so much the case with me). **

**Okay, I've decided to stop this story once I finish chapter 10. It's hard writing Bella dead, and I (obviously) haven't been keeping up with everything very well. Luckily, I have the last chapter written, so that will be up within the next few days, depending on how many people have seen it. So, here is the second to last chapter. I hope you like it! **

APOV

Okay, we have Edward with us now. He's still very empty. A shell. Poor Jasper has to feel what Edward is feeling all the time. He says it's not anything he's ever felt before or anything he can explain. But apparently, it's awful. And he just can't seem to fill the space in Edward up with good feelings, bad feelings (except for…what happened), any feelings.

We've tried connecting with him from time to time, but Jasper can't be with Edward for too long of a time because of the emotion radiating from Edward, and Rosalie and I know better than to bother him now. Esme and Carlisle have tried as well, but the only one who's seemed to get through at all is Emmett. He just has that way about him.

Emmett asked him about why he spoke up in Volterra. Why he asked to come home.

Edward replied, "I couldn't leave Forks. They took me at a time when I couldn't fight back. They took me, and I stayed there. I can't leave again." Then he lapsed back into his silent meditation.

We took from it that, like Bella before him, he couldn't leave the place he last saw her, alive and well. Even if he couldn't go back to her house, to see her room or her pictures, he still had a connection with her through Forks. He doesn't want to leave. But he also won't speak to any of us, other than that short little speech to Emmett.

He does sometimes disappear though. I've had visions of him in the clearing we fought in, walking around a meadow. He can be gone for hours at a time; once he was missing for a day and a half. But he's always safe. Never does anything rash. Never comes home any better.

"Edward?" He doesn't even bat an eye when I call his name. But I know he's listening. I would just talk to him through my thoughts, but he hasn't been paying any attention to those lately. He hasn't even noticed I'm wearing a long black dress. "Edward. We need to…go back to…" I glance at Jasper for support. "We need to go to Bella's house."

At this, he slowly picks up his head from his arms and turns to stare at me.

"What?" he asks simply. I can, however, practically feel the burning intensity behind the small word. Jasper _can _feel it. He looks at Edward in shock.

"The funeral. Bella's funeral." I'm trying to take this slowly for Edward. Edward's feelings about going back to her life must be fairly strong, or just that he's feeling anything, to have surprised Jasper. "Carlisle gave Charlie a general overview of how you reacted to…seeing Bella dead. However, Charlie thinks you went home in shock and wouldn't come out of your room during the time you were actually in Italy.

"Knowing the rest of us were out of town for a while, and that you weren't in a state that suggests that you might have killed her, he wants us to come to the funeral. He is a _little_ bitter at you, but he knows that Bella would have wanted you there. He needs you, Charlie does.

"Now, I'm not going to force you into going, but…think of Bella." He glares at me a little. "I _mean_, think of what she would have wanted." My voice starts to rise. "You don't really think she would have wanted you to become a…whatever you are, do you? You can't possibly think that. None of us want to see you like this! It's worse than before, when we had to _leave_ her!"

I'm getting mad at him now. We lost Bella. It's been hard on all of us. _Very_ hard on me. He's not the only one who's had to cope! What we need is our old Edward back. The one that will help us through this, not the one that breaks down when something goes wrong.

He just continues to stare at me with his face slightly pinched. Mostly blank though.

"Fine! You stay here," I gesticulate wildly around his room. "We'll go, and you can stay here moping. Go organize your CDs or something." I purposely knock down a neat pile of his favorite albums on my way to grab Jasper by the arm and drag him out of the room. Before he's pulled past the doorway, Jasper looks at Edward in disbelief and shakes his head.

Then Jasper asks the question I've wanted to ask for hours, for days. The answer would sum up everything that has happened since Bella died only a week and a half ago.

"Why?"

Why did you let them take you away?

Why didn't you escape and come home to us?

Why can't you accept what happened and mourn instead of practically dying yourself?

Jasper's voice drifts down the hall as I push him down the stairs. I don't even let us stay in the house long enough to see if Edward answers. I yank my husband of the house and into Rosalie's car, kicking Edward's Volvo with enough force to break a human's foot and make a not-so-satisfying dent in the car.

I answer Jasper's questioning glance when we pass _my_ car with, "Edward gave it to me. As you can tell, I'm not too happy with him right now." If I could, I'd be bawling like a baby right now. Either that or my face would be bright red in anger at _him_.

I lost my best friend.

I lost my brother.

I can't stand to lose anything else right now, so I turn and give Jasper a deep and meaningful embrace before he opens my door for me. I have to make sure he knows I love him. That I would give the world for him.

We drive off using the route to Bella's house that is almost too familiar to be bearable. Jasper puts his arm around me and I feel a wave of serenity float around the car. The bad feelings may not be as strong as they were, but they're still there.

**What did you think? Almost done! I'll get the last chapter up soon, so please, please, please review! It will get it out faster!! **


	10. I Can Still Be Me

As promised, here is the last chapter of "Goodbye Bella," hopefully a satisfying ending

**As promised, here is the last chapter of "Goodbye Bella," hopefully a satisfying ending! **

**Thank you so much for your reviews as of yet, and please tell me what you think of this chapter! **

EPOV

"Edward!" Charlie sounds grateful we showed up. He even sounds that way in his mind.

No, I can't listen too hard to his thoughts because they're too focused on Bella. My Bella. His Bella.

_I am not thinking straight; I should focus on someone else so my head doesn't explode, _I think. I pop around, but everyone else has spotted me and is thinking especially hard about how much this must hurt me. Even quiet little Angela is being particularly loud in thought.

She heads toward us while I focus on Alice's mind. She knows everything is overwhelming me. Just being someone at his girlfriend's _funeral_ should have been enough to break a man down. But I have to endure the thoughts of everyone as well. Their pity, their sorrow, their memories of them with her, and especially their memories of her with me. She's not with me anymore.

Immediately realizing I'm not going to answer Charlie's call, Alice guides us over to where Charlie is standing and quietly talks with him for a moment.

Just as he excuses himself to speak with the Newton family and Carlisle and Esme, Angela gets to Alice and me. I look down, trying to block out her extreme sympathy; I don't want to hear it. She was the one person who was for Bella and me as a couple from the beginning. It was nice, but it means that she has all the more pity for me.

She and Alice talk for a few minutes while Angela waits for Ben to arrive. He does right as the ceremony begins.

Charlie apparently asked Alice if I would say a few words. She said I would be honored. Being…_what_ I am, I could come up with a speech within a couple seconds due, to my memory and extraordinary thinking skills, for most anyone. But not Bella. I don't even know where to start.

I look away from Bella's…coffin…when I feel a sharp stab on my arm. It was Alice. Oh, it's time for me to speak. Oh, no.

"Hello, everybody." I may not know what to say, but every heartbeat still speeds up at the sound of my voice. "I'm Edward; I was Bella's boyfriend." They know that already. I need to think of something that they don't know. I search the minds surrounding me to help me figure out what I should be saying.

Great, they're no help.

"I'm sure you've noticed I've been a little…dazed lately." Sure enough, a hundred heads start thinking of some of the few times I've been outside since I returned to Forks from Italy. On the street corner, in Alice or Carlisle's car, at the market. Cold, vacant.

I think about those times, about how I am now, about how I was with Bella.

She wouldn't have wanted me like this. She would want me to be able to talk about her without pain coursing through my entire being. She would want me to be able to be myself, even if I can't be with her. This realization made, I continue with more emotion and strength.

"Bella was a beautiful person, her own person. She didn't form opinions based on what someone was but on who they were." I look toward my family, knowing this was fully true. "She had an infinite capacity to love and to trust." I look at Jacob and his pack and finish the thought with, "She believed in people, even when her loved ones couldn't believe in themselves." I take a deep breath and continue.

"Bella died early in her life. A life that would have been full of sweet moments and happy memories. But we can't change that. All we can do is gather and remember her. Remember her for who she was and who we were with her. I know I changed. My whole existence was impacted by her life. And I know I'm not the only one. Alice, Angela…Jacob, they all got a best friend. The rest of my family, and yours," I say, looking at the pack, "gained a daughter, a sister.

"Just because she's no longer with us in body, doesn't mean she can't be here in spirit. Bella affected all of us in some way. Maybe it was small, helping out at a local store," I say, directing my attention to the Newton's then back to everyone else. "Maybe it was helping you become a better person in the whole. I still love Bella. She's still with me because I'm still the person I strove to be with her. I hope everyone else can be the same. Thank you."

I walk back to my seat by my family and feel as if one large load has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like Bella's still with me. I'm out of that fog. I can finally grieve for her. I don't have to be an empty statue all the time. I know the ache for her will never fully leave me, but I can still be myself. I can still be the Edward that Bella loved and cared for. I can still be me.

**So? What did you think? Did you like the ending? I considered ending it with Edward whispering, "Goodbye, Bella," but I wanted the ending to be that he accepted that she was gone but realized that she wasn't really, that she'd always be with him. **

**Please, please, please review my very last chapter! Tell me what you liked, didn't like, etc. Love always!**

**- - Princess J.O.B. **


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